Cal Poly Academic Calendar 2025-2026: Important Dates

The Cal Poly Academic Calendar 2025-2026 includes information on admission deadlines, tuition payment due dates, course add/drop periods, campus holidays, and final exam schedules for the upcoming academic year.

For the 2025-2026 academic year, California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo will continue to operate on its established quarter system.

This means the academic year is primarily structured around three main quarters: Fall, Winter, and Spring, each spanning approximately 10 weeks of instruction, followed by dedicated final examination periods.

Additionally, a flexible Summer Quarter is offered, providing various session lengths for accelerated study or summer coursework.

Let’s move into the detailed sections for Fall Quarter 2025, Winter Quarter 2026, Spring Quarter 2026, and Summer Quarter 2026 to meticulously plan your academic year at Cal Poly SLO.

Cal Poly Academic Calendar Fall 2025

1. The fall term (for faculty only) begins on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
2. Cal Poly’s move-in date for fall 2025 is from Thursday, September 11, OR  Friday, September 12, 2025, for new first-year and transfer students. Continuing students (second year and above) move in on Tuesday, September 16, and Wednesday, September 17, 2025. 
3. Cal Poly Fall 2025 term classes start on Thursday, September 18, 2025. It is the first day of classes.
4. The end of the second week of instruction is Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
5. The census date (end of the third week of instruction) is Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
6. Veterans Day is observed (an academic holiday) on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
7. Twenty Percent of Instruction will remain on Friday, November 14, 2025, according to the Cal Poly Academic Calendar.
8. Cal Poly Fall Break 2025 (academic holiday) runs from Monday, November 24, 2025, to Sunday, November 30, 2025.
9. The last day of classes is Friday, December 5, 2025.
10. Common final exams (optional) on Saturday, December 6, 2025.
11. The final examination period runs from Monday, December 8, 2025, to Friday, December 12, 2025.
12. Faculty workday, no classes / End of term on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
13. Academic holiday runs from Sunday, December 14, 2025, to Sunday, January 4, 2026.

Cal Poly Academic Calendar Winter 2026

1. Winter 2026 term classes begin on Monday, January 5, 2026.
2. The end of the second week of instruction is Friday, January 16, 2026.
3. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday is observed (academic holiday) on Monday, January 19, 2026.
4. Classes follow a Monday schedule on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
5. The census date (end of the third week of instruction) is Monday, January 26, 2026.
6. Washington’s Birthday is observed (academic holiday) on Monday, February 16, 2026.
7. Twenty Percent of Instruction remains on Friday, February 27, 2026.
8. The last day of classes is Friday, March 13, 2026.
9. Common final exams (optional) will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
10. The final examination period runs from Monday, March 16, 2026, to Friday, March 20, 2026.
11. Cal Poly Slo Spring Break 2026 is from Saturday, March 21, 2026, to Sunday, March 29, 2026. This break occurs between the Winter Quarter and the start of the Spring Quarter.
12. Faculty workday, no classes/End of term is on Monday, March 23, 2026.
13. Academic holiday runs from Tuesday, March 24, 2026, to Sunday, March 29, 2026.

Cal Poly Academic Calendar Spring 2026

1. Cal Poly Spring 2026 term classes begin on Monday, March 30, 2026.
2. Cesar Chavez Day (academic holiday) is on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
3. The end of the second week of instruction is Monday, April 13, 2026.
4. The census date (end of the third week of instruction) is on Monday, April 20, 2026.
5. Twenty Percent of Instruction will remain on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
6. Memorial Day is observed (an academic holiday) on Monday, May 25, 2026.
7. The last day of classes is Friday, June 5, 2026.
8. Common final exams (optional) are on Saturday, June 6, 2026.
9. The final examination period runs from Monday, June 8, 2026, to Friday, June 12, 2026.
10. Commencement runs from Saturday, June 13, 2026, to Sunday, June 14, 2026.
11. The end of term/End of university year is Sunday, June 14, 2026.

For more on the Cal Poly academic calendar 2025-2026, visit the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (SLO) academic calendar website.